I am interested in the relationship between place and people—the influence they have on one another, the conflict that exists between the two, and the traces that are left once they have come into contact. The human need for shelter and belonging runs through my work as a whole, analyzing and interpreting cultures and histories through aesthetics.
Sometimes manifesting itself in works with public participation, sometimes in doing it manually in the studio. In turn, my multidisciplinary practice includes sculptures, textiles, site-responsive works, installations, and socially engaged projects. They deal with the exploration of sensorial experiences within natural, urban, architectural, and personal spaces.
My process is often archeological. I simultaneously study the historical, social and physical attributes of an environment and then develop a way in which to respond to and record that experience by creating traces, shadows, impressions, imprints, and reflections of the area. This methodology allows me to place an emphasis on the memory and history of that space in a way that feels tangible. I find ways to fragment habitual positive and negative spaces to rethink the everyday as not ordinary.
For example, symbols found in transitory architectural elements such as fences, windows, gates and other types of borders as well the hammock as a starting point to reflect the human necessity of protection of the boy against external elements.
The use of specific matter is an important element of my work. I frequently use materials that can be transformed and take the shape of a mold, or that are able to receive an imprint. For this reason, textile and mold-making techniques have been at the core of my practice and continue to play an important role in how I think about art making. Over the years, I have worked with a range of natural fibers such as cotton, silk, and linen, and mediums such as clay, wax, plaster, latex and rust. In addition, I’m interested in objects that hold memory and are already saturated with meaning, be it personal or collective.
By exposing negative spaces, I have found a way to unveil the presence of absence, and through the work it is clear that a void may be physical, but also emotional.
The results can often be particularly detailed and sometimes reveal remnants of the past that may have otherwise been lost. Through site-responsive installations and the use of malleable materials, rigid architectures are transformed into fragile surfaces, uncovering memories, the passage of time, and how we perceive the idea of place. By exposing negative spaces, I have found a way to unveil the presence of absence, and through the work it is clear that a void may be physical, but also emotional.
In thinking about how the body and architecture relate to one another—the space that the body occupies, the traces that are left in the absence of a body—I became immersed in questions regarding the local environment, be it a natural or constructed; the role of nature within personal narratives, and public vs private spaces. How do we impact each one? What techniques can we use, and which histories can we learn from to create a more sustainable future?
Through my social engagement practice, I have learned to work with participants in a way that guides them into aesthetic and hands-on experiences, exploring not only vulnerability, but also the resilience of natural, urban, and cultural ecosystems. This intentionally facilitates access and creates a space for dialogue based on connection. Furthermore, my socially engaged projects have connected my studio practice to my role as an arts educator.
My most recent projects expose a shift in my relationship with nature and a heightened interest in our ecosystems. Motherhood has forced me to rethink my practice, changed how I view our natural world, and has specifically shaped my thoughts on how we humanity will be able to propitiate a feasible time to come.
Although elements of my previous work still persist—particularly revealing the non-visible—I am now challenging myself to think about how creative engagement can connect communities to our natural surroundings. By placing an emphasis on the intersection of psychological, social and environmental issues, and the relationship between public spaces, nature, and community well-being, my objective is for my future projects to impact how we live and interact with the environment and society.
